Counting mechanism



Feb. 18, 1930. J. T. ROBINSON COUNTING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 21, 1924 3Sheets-Sheet 1 .9, mu mht 85 Iii- ATTCIFKIJEY? J. T. ROBINSON 1,747,735

COUNTING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 21, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 18, 1930.

ATT RN yS- Feb. 18, 1930. o mso 1,747,735

COU

Filed Jan. 21, 1924 s Sheeis-Sheet s Patented Feb. 18, 1930 UNITEDSTATES PATEL? @FFHCE JOHN T. ROBINSON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS,ASSIGNOR TO JOHN T. ROBINSON COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ACORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS COUNTING MECHANISM Application filedJanuary 21, 1924.

This invention relates to counting mechanism for use in connection withmachines for operating upon thin, fiat paper and similar stock, such forexample, as cardboard box blanks for the purpose of registering thenumber of blanks passed through the machine. The invention isespecially, although not exclusively, applicable to rotary scoringmachines of the type employed for cutting part way through box blanksalong the lines where they are to be folded in the formation of theboxes. The invention has for its object to provide counting mechanism,readily applicable to machines of this character, which is soconstructed as to be operated by the blanks themselves as they aredischarged from the machine, and which is so arranged that its operationby each blank is assured, thereby accurately registering the number ofblanks completed irrespective of the rate at which they are supplied tothe machine or the relative portion of the time during which the machineis allowed to run idle, said mechanism being readily adjustable to meetvarying conditions of work or for other purposes.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention, together with meanswhereby the same may be carried into effect, will best be understoodfrom the following description of one form and application thereofillustrated in the accompanying drawings. It will be understood,however, that the particular construction and application described andshown, have been chosen for illustrative purposes merely and that theinvention as defined by the claim hereunto appended, may be otherwisepractised without departure from its spirit and scope.

In said drawings:

Figs. 1 and 2 are side and rear elevations, respectively, of a scoringmachine equipped with the invention.

Figs. 3 and 1 are sections taken on the lines 3-3 and 4-4, respectively,Fig. 2.

Figs. 5 and 6 are rear and side elevations, respectively, of the yokepiece for adjusting the parts.

Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the counter and parts associatedtherewith.

Serial No. 687,469.

The invention is herein shown as applied to a scoring machine of thetype shown in Letters Patent No. 273,394, issued March 5, 1883, to JohnT. Robinson, and well known in the art. Said machine comprises uprights15 supporting between them a feed table 16 over which the stock S ispassed to a feed or bed roll 17 journallcd at its ends in boxes 18carried by the uprights l5 and driven by power transmitted thereto byany suitable means, not shown. Cooperating with the bed roll 1'7 toscore the stock, are rotary cutting disks 19 adj ustably carried bybrackets 20 detachably and adjustably secured to one edge of a crosshead 21 having trunnions 22 journallcd in boxes 23 carried by theuprights 15. The cutter brackets 20 may be secured to the crosshead 21in any arrangement depending upon the manner in which the box blanks areto be scored, two sets being applied to the opposite edges of thecrosshead, respectively, in different arrangements, so that by merelyinverting the crosshead, the machine may be arranged for operating uponeither of two styles of blanks.

In accordance with the present invention, the stock, after passingbetween the bed roll and cutters, is received by a discharge tablecomposed of a plurality of sections 24: inclependently secured to a rod25 extending across the rear of the machine substantially parallel tothe bed roll 17 and supported at its ends by brackets 26 secured, as byscrews 28, to the uprights 15, said rod being rigidly held in saidbrackets by set screws 27. The discharge table sections 24 are rigidlyand independently secured to the rod 25 by means of the set screws 280and interposed gibs 29, whereby they may be disposed in accordance withthe requirements of the particular work being operated upon. Each ofsaid sections A and a discharge portion B, the portions A and B of theseveral sections collectively forming the receiving and discharge edges,respectively, of the discharge table. The receiving portion A of eachtable section is formed with a tapered edge a disposed immediatelyadjacent the surface of the bed roll 17 so as to receive the stocktherefrom. Cercomprises a receiving portion tain of the sections 24, forexample those designated by the letter D in Fig. 2, may, if desired, bemade somewhat thicker than the other sections, and the discharge edges Bthereof, may be slotted or notched, as indicated at b, for a purposehereinafter explained.

J ournalled in anti-friction bearings 30 (see Fig. 4) in the brackets 26is a rock shaft .31 disposed substantially parallel to the bed roll 17and rod above and slightly in the rear of the latter. Preferably, and asherein shown, said rock shaft is of tubular form having inserted intoits ends plugs 32 formed with coaxial trunnion portions 33 which arejournalled in the bearings 30. This tubular construction is preferredfor the sake of lightness combined with rigidity. Secured by set screws34 to the tubular rock shaft 31 are collars 35 formed with radiallyextending fingers 36 having rounded ends 37. By reason of theanti-friction bearings in which the shaft 31 is supported, the fingers36 tend normally to depend by gravity from said shaft into the path ofmovement of the stock as it passes from the discharge table. Saidfingers normally rest by gravity against the discharge edges B of thedisharge table sections and are received in the notches b of thesections D where the iatter are employed. The collars with their fingers36 may be of any suitable number and are positioned on the shaft 31 inaccordance with the form of the particular work operated upon, thedischarge table sections D being correspondingly chosen and arranged.The fin ers 36 are nearly, but not quite, counterbalanced by otherparts, hereinafter described, connected with the shaft 31, thearrangement being such, however, as to cause said fingers normally todepend from the shaft 31 and rest lightly by gravity in the notches b,as above described. The forward edge of the stock S, passing over thedischarge table, engages the fingers 36 which are extended into its pathof move- 7 ment, readily pushing said fingers aside and lifting the sameby reason of the balanced and anti-frictional mounting of the shaft 31,thereby rocking said shaft. Thereafter the rounded ends 37 of thefingers 36 ride lightly upon the upper surface of the passing stock, andwhen said stock passes out of engagement with said fingers the latterare returned to their normal positions by gravity.

' One of the brackets 26 (namely, that shown at the right inFig. 2) isformed with an upwardly extending arm 38 having a forwardly curved upperend supporting a registering counter 39 disposed with its face tiirnedtoward the station of the operator. The counter 39, as herein shown, isof the well-known Veeder type but may be of any other suitableconstruction. Said counter is operated by a rock shaft 40 having fastthereon, as by means of a clamp screw 41, an operating lever 42 normallyheld in engage ment with a stop pin 43 by means of a spring 44, saidlever being oscillated through a given are, determined by the stop pin43 and a second stop pin 45, to advance the register one number.

The trunnion 33 at that end of the rock shaft 31 adjacent the counter 39(namely, the right end as shown in Fig. 2) is extended beyond thebracket 26 and has fast thereon,

as by means of a set screw 46, the hub of a yoke 47. Disposed betweenthe arms of the yoke 47 is a lug 48 formed on the hub of an arm 49loosely mounted on the trunnion 33 and retained thereon by a cotter pin50. The arm 49 is operatively connected with the operating lever 42 ofthe counter ,39 by means of a rod or link 51 which passes looselythrough an opening in the lever 42 and is provided at its end with acollar 52 between which and said lever 42 is interposed a spring 53providing a yielding connection between said part-s. One arm of the yoke47 carries an adjustable abutment screw 54 adapted to engage the lug 48between which and the opposite arm of said yoke is interposed a spring55 tending to hold said lug in engagement with the end of said screw.The yoke 47 and lug 48 provide a lost motion connection between the arm49 and shaft 31 which may be adjusted, to vary the relative angularpositions of the arm 49 and fingers 36, by operation of the screw 54.

The operation of the device will be apparent from the foregoingdescription, but may be outlined as follows. The stock, passing from thedischarge table, lifts the fingers 36, as above explained, therebyrocking the shaft 31 and yoke 47 connected therewith. Movement of theyoke 47 is transmitted to the arm 49 through the abutment screw 54 andlug 48, causing said arm to draw downwardly upon the link 51, therebyrocking the lever. 42 and advancing the counter one number. While thelimit of downward movement of the link 51 may be determined byadjustment of the screw 54, any excess movement thereof, after the lever42 engages the stop pin 45, is taken up by compression of the spring 53.When the stock passes out of engagement with the fingers 36, the latterare returned by gravity to their normal positions, causing the shaft 31tobe rocked in the opposite direction, and at this time the spring 55,acting against the lug 48, lifts the arm 49,

pieces of work actually completed by a continuously operating machineinto which the work is inserted at the will of the operator.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

In a machine having means for feeding flat paper blanks in the planethereof, a register having means for counting the blanks, a rotatableshaft, a finger fixed upon said shaft and depending therefrom into thepath of the blanks, a yoke fixed upon said shaft having an adjustingscrew in one arm thereof, an arm having a hub loosely mounted on saidshaft and operatively connected to means for driving the register, andan arm extending from said hub between the arms of said yoke and held incontact with said adjusting screw by a spring engaging the other arm ofsaid yoke, said ger having a relation of balance with said other partssuch that it may be drawn by gravity into the path of movement of theblanks but may be moved by engagement therewith of the blank to operatethe register.

In testimony whereof I afi'ix my signature.

JOHN T. ROBINSON.

